What better place to brainstorm on value-added forestry opportunities than in the thick of Northern Ontario’s woods.
Nestled among the trees and rivers of the Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in Mattawa, the Canadian Ecology Centre offers event space to encourage private and public relations, while building future forest opportunities.
“If you can take people out of their normal environment, they think differently, and you can get better ideas from them,” says Joyce Beam, the Canadian Ecology Centre’s facilities manager.
“People are constantly telling us their meetings go better here than in their usual facilities.”
The centre regularly hosts conferences and corporate retreats of up to 200 people in its two 3,000-square-foot meeting rooms.
What’s more, the secluded, natural setting has proven to be a strong draw for several repeat visitors, including various veterinarian and doctors’ associations, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, the Ontario Provincial Police, Tembec and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Due to its location in a dip between two valleys, the facility has no cellphone reception. While this may be a potential nightmare for some businesspeople, Beam says it is actually a blessing in disguise as it reduces distractions and forces people to stay focused on the task at hand.
“Some people don’t realize how liberating it can be to be cut off from their cell for a day or two and just work with their team with no interruptions.”
The centre has an “official” boardroom capable of housing up to 10 people, complete with overhead and slide projectors as well as VCRs, flip charts and a screen.
A second meeting room is also available, located a short walk from the main building. Up to 15 people can make use of the more private and secluded room, made entirely of pine and fully wired to handle conference calls. This room is increasingly popular with groups interested in discussing highly-sensitive materials, Beam says.
The centre also features a computer lab with 15 Internet-access workstations, which allows businesses to stay plugged in if they choose. Some businesses make use of the site to train their staff on new software or particular upgrades. As an example, Beam says the OPP regularly uses the lab to educate staff on new forensic updates.
However, the main building also features wireless Internet capabilities for those bringing their own laptops.
Though the centre features its own kitchen, catering for major events is typically handled by various Mattawa-based businesses such as Draper’s Bakery & Café.
Having opened in the summer of 1999, the facility was initially designed as a collaboration with forestry firms such as Tembec, which donated wood and material for the building’s siding and floors, and Columbia Forest Products, that donated 85 truckloads of wood chips for the walking paths. Together with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Tembec also established the Forestry Research Partnership to examine value-added wood opportunities.
However, as the forestry industry entered into a financially difficult period, donations have decreased, though Beam says, a growing popularity is sustaining the centre with every passing year. Government agencies such as FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund also assist with financial support in the form of funding for marketing and related strategies.
“We’re still headed for self-sufficiency, as we’re still a relatively young facility,” Beam says. “Still, we’re confident we’ll soon get there.”
With 32 cabins featuring double beds and single bunks, the centre is capable of accommodating up to 80 people.
Sleeping quarters are key, especially when convention-goers bring their families.
While attendees talk shop throughout the day, their children take advantage of guided hikes or canoe trips.
In fact, the centre features a strong youth component, given the bulk of the facility’s business stems from grade-school students, while corporate and private groups make up the rest. While the exact number of visitors is not available, Beam says the centre saw 5,183 “people days” last year, indicating the total number of days when people stayed there. Conversely, it also saw 14,000 “kid nights” in that same period.
Post-secondary institutions with forestry programs, such as Nipissing University, Canadore College, Sir Sandford Fleming College and the University of Toronto, also regularly train students at the centre.
